Entries for April 1999

Toronto, Ontario: Fire in the drying ductwork of a paint pigment plant spread to the roof. Hazmat protective clothing used by firefighters was saturated with red paint.More information

FridayApr 30

Batavia, N.Y.: An employee at a plastic molding factory that burned in 2002 3 have been charged with arson in the fire. The fire took nearly 19 hours to bring under control and destroyed the plant.More information

FridayApr 30

Greenfield, IN: Fire swept through a seven-building corrigated box factory, destroying most of the complex. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation.More information

FridayApr 30

Carthage, MO: A fire destroyed two large warehouse buildings at an explosives plant without setting off any explosions. The buildings contained nonvolatile binding material used in manufacturing gunpower and TNT.More information

FridayApr 30

Lumberton, MS: Two workers were burned in a propane fire at a feed mill. The workers were filling propane bottles when the fire broke out.More information

ThursdayApr 29

Davie, FL: A gasoline tanker overturned on an interstate highway killing the driver and causing a massive fuel spill. The driver was trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle when the wreck occurred.More information

ThursdayApr 29

Waco, TX: Fire destroyed a 90-year-old woodworking plant only three days before work was to move to a new facility. The plant was scheduled to be converted into loft apartments.More information

ThursdayApr 29

Romeoville, IL: A worker investigating a natural gas leak was seriously injured in an explosion that leveled two homes. Among the six others injured were five firefighters who were knocked off their feet by the force of the blast.More information

ThursdayApr 29

Chicago, IL: Firefighters battled a 3-11 alarm at a local steel and wire plant.More information

SundayApr 25

Tulsa, OK: An explosion damaged a coker unit and its absorber tower at a petrochemical refinery. The blast occurred as the unit was being restarted. Several days of heavy rainfall had caused flooding inside the refinery.More information

SaturdayApr 24

Rosemount, MN: A 150-foot-tall steel vessel fell from a crane at a refinery, injuring one employee. The empty vessel fell eight feet. No fire or explosion occurred.More information

SaturdayApr 24

Grand Forks, N.D.: A telephoned bomb threat triggered the evacuation of a potato processing plant, shutting down operations for an hour and a half. No bomb was found.More information

Longwood, Australia: A temporary evacuation of nearly 1,000 workers at a natural gas energy plant was ordered due to a gas leak. An explosion at the plant last September killed two workers and seriously curtailed gas supplies to Australian industry.More information

ThursdayApr 22

Paterson, N.J.: One worker was buried and another trapped when a trench of a sewer line collapsed. Both were rescued almost immediately by co-workers.More information

Wallington, N.J.: A worker at a truck body factory was listed in critical condition after his clothes caught fire while welding.More information

WednesdayApr 21

Clay Township, IN: Foam was used as a precaution on a cargo of polymetric beads when a tractor-trailer rig overturned.More information

WednesdayApr 21

Minneapolis, MN: The vice president of an excavation company was indicted on charges stemming from a 218,000 gallon crude oil spill in September that forced the evacuation of a small community. The case is the first in which a person or company failed to notify proper authorities before digging.More information

WednesdayApr 21

Charlotte, N.C: Two workers were overcome by fumes related to a fire at a chemical storage plant. More than 35 firefighters were called to the scene.More information

WednesdayApr 21

Thomasville, N.C: A lacquer spill at a furniture plant forced the evacuation of nearly 300 workers. No injuries were reported.More information

TuesdayApr 20

Tamaqua, PA: Two workers blending nitroglycerin as heart medication were killed in an explosion at a chemical plant.More information

TuesdayApr 20

Toronto, Ontario: Interior attack with foam lines was used in a three-alarm factory fire involving paints and solvents.More information

TuesdayApr 20

Charleston, S.C.: A shipping container filled with 10 tons of natural charcoal caught fire aboard a docked vessel. As the container was being moved by crane, the bottom gave way, dumping burning material on the dock and a small portion of the ship.More information

MondayApr 19

Whiting, IN: Plant firefighters dealt with an explosion and fire in a jet fuel cracking unit at an oil refinery. No injuries were reported.More information

MondayApr 19

Plainfield, IN: A crate shipped from China to a distribution center began leaking an unknown chemical that caused one employee to collapse and sent seven others to the hospital. The chemical was later determined to be methyl bromide.More information

Greensburo, N.C.: Firefighters extinguished a small fire in the ductwork at a local plant.More information

SaturdayApr 17

Nayang City, China: Fire spread through a furniture factory and killed 19 people, including the owners family. Most of the factory and the attached living quarters for employees and their families was destroyed.More information

FridayApr 16

Springfield, KY: A worker buried in a trench collapse died from asphyxiation before rescuers could reach him.More information

FridayApr 16

Plymouth, CT: A hazardous materials incident triggered the evacuation of a chemical reaction building at a local plant.More information

FridayApr 16

Watertown, WI: Thirteen workers at a cheese plant were treated for breathing problems related to two ammonia leaks.More information

ThursdayApr 15

South Bend, IN: Two workers at a campus power plant were injured in an explosion. The workers were responding to a fire in the cooling tower when a transformer exploded.More information

ThursdayApr 15

Modesto, CA: A steamroller operator suffered second degree burns over 30 percent of his body when he struck an electric meter, triggering an electrical flash fire.More information

ThursdayApr 15

Moses Lake, WA: A silicon refinery was fined $34,800 by state officials for an October release of tetrachloride gas that resulted in the death of two workers.More information

TuesdayApr 13

Orangeburg, S.C.: Two workers died from burns received in an explosion at a chemical plant. Workers were transferring oil containing aluminum alkyls when the transfer pump exploded.More information

MondayApr 12

Houston, TX: A massive fire damaged two freeway ramps when a tanker truck overturned and exploded. The driver of the vehicle was killed.More information

MondayApr 12

Atlanta, GA: Dangling from a helicopter, a firefighter rescued a construction work trapped atop a crane during a fire in a former mill that was under renovation.More information

MondayApr 12

Belgrade, Yugoslavia: NATO forces launched a missile attack against an oil refinery. Also hit were a car plant and an arms factory.More information

MondayApr 12

Charlotte, N.C.: A four-alarm blaze broke out in the conveyor system at a recycling plant. Two firefighters were treated at the scene.More information

SaturdayApr 10

Jersey City, N.J.: Firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at a wire and steel plant.More information

SaturdayApr 10

Florence, PA: More than 150 firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze in a vacant steel plant. Workers were using blow torches to remove asbestos pipe when the fire broke out.More information

SaturdayApr 10

Brandon, S.D.: A blaze swept through a wood preservatives plant causing concern that firefighters might be exposed to arsenic stored inside. The fire was contained before reaching the poison.More information

FridayApr 09

Leeds, U.K.: Two workers were killed when flames spread through a foundry. The foundry, which produced gates and shutters for the security industry, was destroyed.More information

ThursdayApr 08

Tampa, FL: Three workers died as the result of an explosion at a power plant. Another 50 were injured in the blast that destroyed 23,000 square feet of the 240,000 square foot facility.More information

ThursdayApr 08

Lake Meredith, TX: An explosion and fire shut down a natural gas compressing plant. Three holding tanks were damaged. No injuries were reported.More information

ThursdayApr 08

Savannah, British Columbia: A bulldozer operator was killed when he struck a natural gas pipeline. Gas escaping from the line exploded.More information

ThursdayApr 08

Meridan, CT: Fire spread through two garage storage bays at a factory building. A van and other equipment were damaged.More information

TuesdayApr 06

Bridgeport, CT: Firefighters battled a fire on the loading dock at a container factory.More information

TuesdayApr 06

Norfolk, VA: A crane operator working for a shipbuilding company died when a concrete causeway collapsed, dropping his rig into 60 feet of water.More information